Refrigeration unit



Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD A. HAHPSON, OICHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO THE zoom comm.

A COB-YOBA'IIOR OF ILL-D7018 REFRIGERATION UNIT Application fled October10, 1987. Serial No. 885,188.

In mechanical household refrigeration units it appears that such amachine embod ing an air-cooled condenser is ordinar' y much moredesirable than the t pe of machine embodyin a water-coole condensersince with the air-cooled condenser there is no necessity for connectingpipes to the machine for leading water to and from the condenser forcoolin The inventiondisclosed relates particularly to an air-cooledrefrigeration unit and an object of the invention is to provi e animproved arrangement of the parts of the unit, and to provide aconstruction wherein the unit is so arranged and the parts so positionedthat it will be compact and sightly. A still further object of theinvention is to rovide a construction for a mechanical rerigeration unitsuch that not only the condenser is cooled, but in addition, thecompressor and motor may be advantageously cooled by the same meansproviding the air flow for cooling the condenser coils.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a unit of suchconstruction that it ma be mounted either in vertical or horizontalposition, there being certain advantages in one or the other mountindepending more particularly on the type 0 compressor employed and alsodepending upon whether the unit is to be cooled by forced draft of airor merely by natural air circulation. Y

The above specifically enumerated objects of the invention, togetherwith other and further objects thereof will become readily apparent on areading of a specification when considered in connection with thedrawing wherein Figure 1 is substantially a side elevation of the unitwith parts broken away; an

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic showing modified constructions.

'In the drawing, an electric motor for driving the unit is indicated at10, which motor is connected by a coupling means 11 to the shaft of acompressor 12.

Compressor 12 is shown as having an inlet at 13 and outlets at 14dischar into a common condenser pipe 15 whic 1s coiled about the motorcompressor unit and extends substantially from end to end thereof.

As shown, the condenser com rises two concentric coils the outer one 0which is indicated by 16 and there is provided beas shown in thedrawing, that is, on the uni of the motor shaft other than thatconnected to the compresor, there is mounted an air propelling member 20shown as a centrifu 1 an; While the fanas shown in the draw is connectedto the end of the motor sha remote from the compressor it will, ofcourse, be perfectl obvious that the fan may be connected to t e driveshaft somewhere between the motor and the compressor casin and that thefan may be of any type whic will cause air to be pro lled through thechannels formed by shel s 17 and 18 and head 19. As shown, the motor andcompressor are mounted on a base plate 21 and in order that the unit maybe convenientl mounted, there are attached at the ends 0 the unit tothis base plate bracket members 22 which can be secured in anyconvenient manner "to the structure upon which. the unit is to bemounted, When electric motor 10 is operating drive compressor 12 andcompress the refrigerating gas, fan 20 will be rotated and as shown inthe drawing air will be drawn through the inner shell 17 from thecompressor end, and in passing throughthis shell will more or less coolthe compressor, the motor and the inner condenser coils, the-air thenpassin into the space between shells 17 and 18 an back to the compressorend to cool the outer condenser coil in its passage through the spacebetween the two shells.

In order to prevent any appreciable tendency to form a more or lessclosed air circuit from the space between these shells back into theinner central space, the lips of shells 17 and 18, at their open ends,are shown as somewhat flared outwardly as at 23 so that the warm airwill be directed away from the central intake.

While the unit is shown in Fig. .1 as provided with a positively drivenfan for moving the air therethrough, it will be obvious that should itbe desirable to employ an aircooled unit without a positively drivenfan,

' the unit can be turnedto a vertical position as shown in Fig.3, thenby removal of head member 19 the natural air draft through the shellscaused by the normal tendency of the air to rise as it is warmed can beused for the cooling of the unit, and in such case due to the removal ofhead 19, the air-flow would be upwardly from the bottom end of the unitto the top end through both the inner and outer shells without reversalof the air current as -is particularly shown in connection with the fanconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1.

It is also readily apparent that with head 19 removed and a differenttype of fan substituted, that is, a mere pusher type, as shown in Fig.4:, air can be drawn through both the inner and outer shells in eitherdirection depending on the direction of blading of the fan.

These various structures just described have been only diagrammaticallyillustrated since with the description given it is perfectly obviousfrom the drawing that the unit may be cooled as stated.

It is thought that on consideration of the drawing presented and of thedescription relating thereto, it will be perfectly apparent thatapplicant has provided a compact and advantageous construction for arefrigeration unit, and that advantages of the construction are derivedby the placing of the condenser coils entirely surrounding themechanical portion of the unit in its longitudinal dimensions, sincethus an adequate length of tubing can be employed in the condenser toprovide ample radiating surface.

I olaim:--

1. A refrigeration unit comprising a motor and a compressor, a condensercoil surrounding the motor and compressor and having portions radiallyspaced from one another and a plurality of annular shell memberspositioned relative the condenser coil, and acting as baflles to directa cooling air flow over the condenser coil, one of said shell membersbeing located between said radially spaced portions.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a motor, a compressor,a condenser consisting of a plurality of coils of pipe concentricallyarranged about a vertical axis around said motor and compressor and aversaid compressor and said motor and the coils inside the bafile due tothe draft resulting from the transfer of heat to the air from the coils,compressor and motor while the coils outside of the baifie'may be cooledby another air stream.

3. A refrigerating unit including a motor, a compressor, a plurality ofconcentrically disposed condenser coils surrounding the motor and thecompressor and means for directing currents of air in differentdirections over said condenser coils, said means including a cylindricalbaflle interposed between said coils and a fan adapted to be driven bysaid motor and disposed adjacent one end of said battle.

4. In a refrigerating unit of the c0mpres sor type the combination ofamotor, a compressor, a fan, a condenser and guide means for directingair currents over said condenser, said condenser comprising a pluralityof concentrically disposed coils of pipes and said guide means includinga battle interposed between the inner and outer coils.

5. In a refrigerating unit, the combination of a motor, a compressor, adevice for discharging heat to the atmosphere including a coil havingportions radially and laterally spaced from one another andconcentrically disposed about said motor and said compressor, and avertically disposed annular bafile member interposed between saidportions of said coils for isolating the same from one another, and forpreventing the How of air from one portion to another, whereby eachportion of the coil discharges heat substantially independently of thedischarge from another portion, and a plurality of natural drafts ofcooling air are caused to flow over said coil and over said motor andcompressor.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, A. D.,1927.

EDWARD A. HAMPSON.

this 7th day of July,

